Great shopping abounds in The County

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It’s been awhile since I’ve packed up the shopping wagon and hit the road for a real excursion. Last week, I decided it was time for a little northern exposure, so I threw on the North Face, dug out my hat and mittens and took I-95 as far as it would take me.

Then I got off in Houlton and went even farther north. By the time I hit Presque Isle, I was ready for some serious shopping.

OK, you can stop laughing now.

If you know where to look, great buys abound in the County. I also found my new favorite store, but first things first.

Usually, Marden’s P.I. is my first stop, but I decided to check out Miller’s Discount in Caribou first. I love this place. It’s just like Miller’s used to be in Brewer, except I hit it on a day when all the winter clothing was 40 percent off. After trying on a cute Hollister sweater, an Energie turtleneck, an Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirt and a too-tight pair of yoga pants, I headed to the men’s department, where I bought ShopGuy two washable wool sweaters for $24 to replace the two unwashables I shrunk.

Things were looking good.

I ducked into Second Hand Rose, the fabulous consignment shop downtown. Talk about great jewelry and lovely linens. One of my superstylish colleagues swears by this place, and she always manages to pull off vintage as seamlessly as Chloe Sevigny.

On day two of the trek, ShopGuy and I made the requisite Marden’s run. After drooling over a couch that looked suspiciously similar to one I had seen in Crate & Barrel, we combed the clothing. I bought a pair of black waterproof galoshes that are at once practical and stylish, but for once, I couldn’t find anything in the women’s clothing department.

ShopGuy, on the other hand, made out like a bandit. It seems the Marden’s in P.I. and Ellsworth got all of the Gap men’s clothing. He even found two Eddie Bauer T-shirts for $3 apiece and a pair of shoes to replace the ones ShopPup ate.

After dropping off the haul at my mother-in-law’s house, she and I headed off to Pieces of Eight and The Knitting Store in Presque Isle. This shop has the best of both worlds – good books and great yarns. I bought enough bulky yarn to make another hat and mittens, then we headed to our next destination: Monica’s Scandinavian Imports in Caribou.

Blame it on my Danish heritage (or my penchant for shopping), but I wanted everything in there. In addition to traditional wooden toys, Monica’s offers striped porcelain dishes from Ittala of Finland, delicate Swedish glassware and the most chic steel and glass votive holders from Denmark. I bought a sleek candle centerpiece for $30.

Sleeper’s in Caribou, an unusual melding of grocery store and clothing boutique, has always piqued my interest, but by the time I got there, it was closed. Fortunately, its brother store, Trader Joe’s, was open at the Aroostook Centre Mall. Trader Joe’s sells name-brand clothing from The North Face, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle and Tommy Hilfiger, as well as outdoor gear. For that, though, I’d try Ruckus, a new ski, snowboard and skateboard shop downtown.

In addition to the usual suspects (J.C. Penney and Sears), and the requisite Goth shop (Pandora’s Box), the mall has a few interesting local stores. I like the antiques at Cozy Corner II, and members of the Red Hat Society will find plenty there from which to choose. There’s also Cozy Corner Casuals, which sells women’s fashions and engraveable silver jewelry at amazingly low prices.

At Phantazia gift shop, also in the mall, I found a candle holder remarkably similar to one I saw in Pottery Barn for about a quarter of the price. But I was candled out. I popped into Bath & Body Works for a slather of lavender lotion, then ShopGuy and I repacked the wagon and headed home. It was a little more full than when we left, but that’s the beauty of traveling in Aroostook County – you always find something interesting.

Destination: Presque Isle-Caribou

Bath & Body Works: Aroostook Centre Mall, Presque Isle, 760-9016

Cozy Corner II: Aroostook Centre Mall, Presque Isle, 768-3238

Cozy Corner Casuals: Aroostook Centre Mall, Presque Isle, 68-7444

J.C. Penney: Aroostook Centre Mall, Presque Isle, 764-2663

Marden’s: 803 Main St., Presque Isle, 762-3417

Miller’s Discount: 124 Bennett Drive, Caribou, 498-6411

Monica’s Scandinavian Imports: 176 Sweden St., Caribou, 493-4600

Pandora’s Box: Aroostook Centre Mall, Presque Isle, 762-6200

Phantazia: Aroostook Centre Mall, Presque Isle, phone number not available

Pieces of Eight and The Knitting Store, 650 Main St., Presque Isle, 762-5437

Sears: Aroostook Centre Mall, Presque Isle, 768-2000

Second Hand Rose: 53 Herschel St., Caribou, 498-2007

Trader Joe’s: Aroostook Centre Mall, Presque Isle, 762-2250

Shop Talk

From time to time, ShopGirl and her friends will let readers know about fabulous products we’ve tried. This month, editor Jeanne Curran raves about the Wonder Cloth:

If you want a quick and easy way to remove makeup grime, pick up a Wonder Cloth, a nifty little rag that cleans the face of the most intense lipstick, thick foundation or heavy eye makeup and rinses clean, with no makeup residue left behind.

Made in Japan and distributed by Advanced Enterprises Inc. of Middletown, N.Y., the cloth is made of “a unique combination of Japanese plant pulp and 100 percent cotton fibers” that has a nice, silky feel and cleans the skin thoroughly – even without soap or cleanser – but not roughly. The box states that the cloth is 60 percent rayon and 40 percent cotton.

Wonder Cloth can be used to bathe babies, especially if they have diaper rash or prickly heat, without irritating their skin. The really remarkable thing, though, is the way the cloth washes clean with just a rinse under the faucet.

Described as lasting longer than a standard wash cloth, Wonder Cloth makes sense instead of using some of those pricey cosmetic wipes that get thrown away after you use them. It’s also great for travel.

The company also makes cosmetic wedges and sponges. Its Web site is www.wondercloth.com. Priced under $10, Wonder Cloth is available at Bed Bath & Beyond in Bangor.